Students and inductees gathered in the cafeteria last Thursday to gaze at their peers’ artwork. 39 students were inducted into NAHS.
By GINA TALAMO
Editor-in-Chief
The National Art Honor Society inducted 39 students from the junior class at its ceremony and art show event last Thursday, featuring visual artwork, student animations and a poetry reading by principal James Gleason.
The induction and the art show, usually separate events, were combined into one tropical-themed evening. Adviser Laura Gesin said each of the inductees was required to submit artwork for the art show, “to show that they are committed and that they will participate and come to meetings.”
Gesin added that combining the two events makes it easier for families to attend the event.
Senior Billie Haas of Deal is the current president of NAHS. She said she’d been happy with the combination of the art show and induction.
“Parents usually come in and see their kids get inducted, but now they get to see why they were inducted,” she said.
This year’s art show featured the second annual poetry reading, with poems featured from the Lit Magazine, as well as other submissions. Senior Linette Reeman of Middletown introduced her peers’ poetry, and read one of her own, entitled “An Open Letter to Anyone Who Watches Jersey Shore.”
Principal James Gleason reads Maggie Trupio and Catherine McLean’s sonnet “The Storm,” contributing to the art show’s second annual poetry reading.
Gesin said after last year’s poetry reading, Gleason had expressed interest in reading a poem. When the art show decided to do a poetry reading this year, she contacted Gleason and selected a poem for him to read: “The Storm,” a sonnet by seniors Maggie Trupio of Howell and Catherine McLean of Matawan.
“He was very good—he practiced it, and he even talked to the author for what her idea was behind it,” Gesin said. “I thought he did a great job.”
Before the induction, Gleason addressed the audience at the event and said “it’s an honor to see all of these inductees’ work,” and that “we never really get to see it in this way,” since all of the students’ work is rarely displayed all at once.
In NAHS adviser Shelly Ortner’s address of the audience, she emphasized the importance of art education in high schools and added that the school’s art students inspire her.
